Saturday at Rockport...

I check out the online Texas Birds Forum almost daily...for sure during migration...this past weekend I opened the forum site and noticed a rare bird was spotted in Rockport Texas. It's less than an hour's drive from home. So the two of us boarded our vehicle and set out in the morning to see if we could find it where the sighting was posted. Tho we didn't find the seabird, we did enjoy the park on the beach. The sky was clear blue, then partly cloudy with a dark overcast, and then again cleared off where the sun beat down on the weekend revelers. The day on the beach was a busy one. BBQs set up, sun worshipers on beach towels, kids of all ages frolicking in the sparkling gulf water, joggers, fishermen, people watchers, those in their summer garb sitting under the palm cabanas reading a book, picnickers, family - it was like turning back the clock to the 1950s again. Witnessing all around me, family values and fun times.

This park? It's called....ROCKPORT BEACH PARK. The town of Rockport is HUGE on water activities...AND birding! They hold festivals and have signage throughout for some of the country's hottest 'hot spots' and estuaries/bird sanctuaries. After giving up on the search for the elusive bird, while Bud sat under a shade-covered area and did his share of people watching, I walked the park's path near the lagoon area twice to get my 3 miles of walking in. Of course, I took pictures --

Silhouetted Palm Tree

Beach Kite Flying - Collared Dove - Reddish Egret at the Lagoon

Kites Galore

Loggerhead Shrike in Palm Tree

...After we left the park, we drove to a 'newly opened' wetland park, just to check it out...

Tule Marsh -east
There IS a WEST Tule Marsh also
...up the road toward Copano Bay to the northeast of Rockport...

...within the boundary there is a nicely constructed boardwalk ending with a covered gazebo-observation deck. On all sides the wetlands/marsh is lush and green for now with the precipitation. After the boardwalk ends the pathway continues through the live oak trees and a paved walkway, meandering and twisting and turning. Several extened outlooks through the oak you can see the marshy swamp. It will be GREAT during the winter months and migration season! I spotted a Ladder Backed Woodpecker with its mate...she flew off, but I managed to focus on him just before he followed her, flying into the woodlands.

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ugg on the heat index, ours is not that bad yet. at 10 am today it was 97 and stifling. we cut our walk in half. hard to breathe in the humidity. i had to giggle at the 50's comment because i bet everyone on the beach had a DEVICE with them and those kites are certainly not like any we had back then... just sayin.... but i know what you meant.. doing the outdoor thing no in the house

Actually, I can honestly say I saw only joggers with phones and earplugs. Those on the beach were too busy playing games [like volleyball]/swimming. It was like time had gone back to the 'good ol' days' on the beach.

Great jaunt and good photos from your day of searching for the elusive bird. 120 degrees would be hard to handle. The forecast here is calling for 33 tonight. I hope that's wrong, but it won't stay cold long enough to stunt my perrenials (I hope). I admire you for walking in that heat! I'd be fanning myself and appying ice!

Since you have no active comments at the moment on YOUR blog I must say I enjoyed your recent post. Fly fishing...my dad was a fisherman at heart...the scene looked all too familiar. LoVeD the wildflowers.

Ah, you would LOVE it here on the ranch! As we drove in yesterday I rolled the truck windows down and listened to all the birds singing and watch them float across the fields and road and back over the fields. I felt like Cinderella with the birds coming out to give me a welcome and guide us in!! Once again, I FORGOT to bring my bird journal and bird book with me. I am such an amateur but I do love to watch the birds!

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